Only 19% believe Senate will judge VP on evidence

MANILA, Philippines —  Only a small percentage of Filipinos believe that senators would decide based on evidence and the law rather than political considerations in the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, according to a survey conducted by the OCTA Research group.

The April 20 to 24 survey, which was conducted prior to the series of events that plunged the Senate into chaos, found only 19 percent of the respondents believing that senators would base their decision primarily on the law and the evidence presented during trial.

Thirty-two percent do not believe that senators would decide based on the law and evidence, while 49 percent were undecided.

“The findings suggest that the central challenge facing the Senate may not simply be determining the outcome of the impeachment case but establishing public confidence in the integrity of the process itself,” OCTA said in its analysis of the survey results.

“While impeachment is inherently a political and constitutional process, the survey findings suggest that many Filipinos place importance on senators demonstrating that their decisions are informed by the evidence, the law and the merits of the case rather than by political considerations alone,” it added.

The survey firm noted the significance of the large number of undecided respondents, saying it may indicate that many Filipinos are waiting to see how the Senate would conduct the proceedings.

“Because the survey was conducted before senators began hearing evidence, receiving arguments or undertaking formal deliberations, many respondents may have been expressing uncertainty about how the process would unfold rather than firm opinions regarding its eventual fairness or outcome,” said OCTA.

“These findings suggest that public opinion remains fluid and may evolve considerably as the impeachment proceedings progress,” it added.

A separate survey conducted during the same period found that 74 percent of the respondents agreed that Duterte should face an impeachment trial to answer the allegations against her.

The poll was conducted before the leadership changes and other issues that recently rocked the upper chamber.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson has said that Sen. Francis Escudero will preside over the impeachment trial of the Vice President, although newly installed Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said on Thursday that he does not want to preempt discussions among senators on the matter.

Escudero, himself a former Senate president, previously drew criticism over the delay in proceedings in the first impeachment complaint against Duterte in the 19th Congress.